1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compactors for containers such as cans and the like and in particular relates to compactors which are useful in compacting containers filled with liquid food product, and which are designed for energy-saving and automatic operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A plurality of can crushing devices are disclosed in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,985, Girten discloses a can crushing apparatus employing a reciprocal motion between two crushing plates, the reciprocal motion being caused by a piston-operated mechanism.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,128, Morris discloses a hopper-like arrangement for transporting containers to be crushed into the compacting apparatus. Other prior art of interest includes the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,593,657 to Coon et al; 2,949,078 to Reed; and 2,619,150 to Smith.
One of the problems with prior art can compactors is that such apparatus have been designed for manual operation. This obviously requires a great deal of expense and is undesirable from a cost viewpoint.
Some compactors have been designed for automatic operation, such as the devices described in certain of the prior art patents referred to above, but these arrangements are relatively complex and operate on a "start-stop" cycle which is initiated with each can, and is thus costly to operate in terms of the per can energy requirements of the apparatus.